Fox club

[FOXHUNTER1]

_{Had a bad night at the office the other night , shot the 1st one and proceeded to miss the next 2}

 

[Dougy]

Unlucky with the 2 you missed,

Maybe if they were caught up in the fencing wire like the 1st, you would have managed to shoot them.

;-)

[FOXHUNTER1]

Unlucky with the 2 you missed,

Maybe if they were caught up in the fencing wire like the 1st, you would have managed to shoot them.

;-)

Probably would have still missed .............

[WelshMike]

_{Had a bad night at the office the other night , shot the 1st one and proceeded to miss the next 2}

 

What a shocking display of shooting. Your artistic presentation doesnt make up for it either. Must do better next time Mark

 

saw a nice fox yesterday morning at 5 a.m....just as i was leaving a hotel near st neots so a bit far to go to try and catch up with him

[Dougy]

here's one from Wednesday night. We put a caller out in one field, bit of a poor decision as the wind was blasting from behind us. Schoolboy error, but enjoying the peace and quiet all the same.

I then decided to move to were I dropped one the previous night. And this big chunky Dog Fox was sniffing the ground, funnily enough followed the same track as the dog the previous night. (Sprayed a load of horse hoof bait Tuesday night) That may have been what brought it in but can't be 100 %.

 

Certainly not as photogenic as Foxhunters pictures, but then there aren't many stone walls round my way.

Edited October 7, 2016 by Dougy

[foosa]

A couple from my recent outings, the latest was last night found chewing a freshly caught pheasant! Well I've been using the xq 50 thermal for just over a month now and have finally got time to tell you all my findings.

 

Firstly the unit is a complete game changer, no more missing the eyes with a lamp or nv if it's there you will spot it, and spot it a long way off as well. It amazes me how well it picks out rabbits at distance and you would swear you were looking at a fox however when you do spot fox it's so obviously a fox unless at distance say over 5-600 yards then you will see something moving and need to see how it's behaving to decide what your looking at and if it's worth closing the gap for a shot.

 

I spot using the thermal and switch to nv for shooting, this has been frustrating and often hilarious if your mate is on the thermal and you can't pick up the target in your nv, a small ir torch attached to the thermal puts you more where you need to be straight away. The unit uses four aa rechargeable batteries and a full charge lasts me two full night with heavy use so no need for the external power supplies for me.

 

I have learned loads since using this unit such as just how amazing the fox's senses are and they are usually well aware of your presence even with out lamps to alert them, how they react to vehicles approaching from distance, a few foxes recently have been spooked and disappeared from an area long before the lamp would go on or I get out the car, due to this my success rate has improved by parking up and walking into an area from distance. I've suspected for quite some time that foxes that are call shy react differently when there's no lights or lamps in the area and also if the call comes from a different location to your usuall call points and have had a few do just that by coming to calls that would normally have them taking off into the next county!

 

The unit picks up heat signatures in fog and rain but you loose your background picture for reference points and again can be frustrating when you switch the nv on and get a white out from moisture in the air.

 

The other thing I've become aware of is just how much wildlife is out there, I spot all sorts from mice up the trees to herons in freshly cut silage fields, rats in the hedgerows and a few polecats. All in all the thermal has changed how I go about foxing and really has given me a edge for catching up with them and I wouldn't be with out it now.

[belly47]

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/344986-night-vision-fox/

 

Forgot about this thread and posted last night's in sporting pictures !!!!

[Dougy]

 

The other thing I've become aware of is just how much wildlife is out there, I spot all sorts from mice up the trees to herons in freshly cut silage fields, rats in the hedgerows and a few polecats. All in all the thermal has changed how I go about foxing and really has given me a edge for catching up with them and I wouldn't be with out it now.

 

It certainly keeps you occupied while waiting for Mr Fox, watching al the glowing wildlife, and trying to guess what it is. I nobbled a couple of polecats a few weeks dragging shot rabbits across the field.

You will get to recognise Fox's further out after a while, they don't dart about as much as rabbits do and normally follow the same tracks, and Badgers just look like dollops moving around with no sign of legs.

[WelshMike]

20161007_173541.jpg

here's one from Wednesday night. We put a caller out in one field, bit of a poor decision as the wind was blasting from behind us. Schoolboy error, but enjoying the peace and quiet all the same.

I then decided to move to were I dropped one the previous night. And this big chunky Dog Fox was sniffing the ground, funnily enough followed the same track as the dog the previous night. (Sprayed a load of horse hoof bait Tuesday night) That may have been what brought it in but can't be 100 %.

 

Certainly not as photogenic as Foxhunters pictures, but then there aren't many stone walls round my way.

Well done bud

[WelshMike]

A couple from my recent outings, the latest was last night found chewing a freshly caught pheasant! Well I've been using the xq 50 thermal for just over a month now and have finally got time to tell you all my findings.

 

Firstly the unit is a complete game changer, no more missing the eyes with a lamp or nv if it's there you will spot it, and spot it a long way off as well. It amazes me how well it picks out rabbits at distance and you would swear you were looking at a fox however when you do spot fox it's so obviously a fox unless at distance say over 5-600 yards then you will see something moving and need to see how it's behaving to decide what your looking at and if it's worth closing the gap for a shot.

 

I spot using the thermal and switch to nv for shooting, this has been frustrating and often hilarious if your mate is on the thermal and you can't pick up the target in your nv, a small ir torch attached to the thermal puts you more where you need to be straight away. The unit uses four aa rechargeable batteries and a full charge lasts me two full night with heavy use so no need for the external power supplies for me.

 

I have learned loads since using this unit such as just how amazing the fox's senses are and they are usually well aware of your presence even with out lamps to alert them, how they react to vehicles approaching from distance, a few foxes recently have been spooked and disappeared from an area long before the lamp would go on or I get out the car, due to this my success rate has improved by parking up and walking into an area from distance. I've suspected for quite some time that foxes that are call shy react differently when there's no lights or lamps in the area and also if the call comes from a different location to your usuall call points and have had a few do just that by coming to calls that would normally have them taking off into the next county!

 

The unit picks up heat signatures in fog and rain but you loose your background picture for reference points and again can be frustrating when you switch the nv on and get a white out from moisture in the air.

 

The other thing I've become aware of is just how much wildlife is out there, I spot all sorts from mice up the trees to herons in freshly cut silage fields, rats in the hedgerows and a few polecats. All in all the thermal has changed how I go about foxing and really has given me a edge for catching up with them and I wouldn't be with out it now.

Nice one Brendan and thanks for your insight into the Thermal unit. Wish I could afford one myself. Keep up the good work mate

[steve_b_wales]

Good going Brendan. The NV spotter is redundant now, I suppose?

[WelshMike]

I have been a little off colour since returning from holiday a couple of weeks ago so havent been out much. Decided to go for a proper look on Saturday night. I picked up a Pulsar X870 from a mate for a tidy price so decided to give it a whirl.

 

Arrived at the first piece of ground at about 8.15 and had a scan with the NV spotter. Mr fox was just coming out for a wander so I quickly negotiated a couple of gates and got into position. The fox was about 200 yards and I knew there was a very wary fox here so I gave it a quick squeak to stop it and to my surprise it headed down the field towards me. At about 120 yards it sat down and looked in my direction at which point a 58 grain .243 round hit him square in the chest. Lovely big dog fox.

 

 

Moved to another part of the ground a gave another quick squeak to pick up another fox about 350 yards away. Got set up behind the rifle and then saw the second fox about 15 yards away. I couldnt take a shot from the position I was in so had to get up, set up the sticks and then take the shot. The fox was still there though had moved off to a more challenging 30 yard. Shot him through the neck. 2 down and not even 8.30. He was a full grown dog fox cub in lovely condition as always.

 

 

Covered the rest of the ground finishing in a handy spot. Quick check and nothing about so set up the caller, couple of calls and noticed that there was a fox tugging at a dead ewe that I hadnt seen initially. Got set up behind the rifle and watched it for a couple of minutes whilst it pulled wool off the ewe like its life depended on it. I wanted it to turn for the shot as it was facing away from me but alas it wouldnt turn so it caught the round "texas heart shot style" about 90 yards. It dropped instantly to the shot. I took the photo where it fell (on the ewe)

 

 

Over to another farm where the foxes had been eating any dead stock within a couple of days. The farmer had put a carcass out for me so I wanted to take a look. Walked over to the spot and saw a fox within seconds though not in the best position and not near the ewe. Set up the sticks and put her on the ground at about 70 yards. She was facing me and slightly downhill hence the exit wound high on her back. Full grown vixen cub. All in all a good night. Cheers for reading

 

[tonker]

Out last night up the tower on the chicken farm, not been there lately as nothing had been seen for a while.

arrived at about 7.30 and settled down with the .222 with photon on it, and a new to me spotter.

All was quiet for a short while then at 8.10ish eyes appeared through the next farms hedge, only to vanish for 10 mins, eventually he was coming in and then decided to quarter away again, this peeved me off and I took the shot at about 150yds, 1 down.

I was going to call it a night then, but remembered the Mrs was watching Poldark, so I thought I'd hang around for a bit. At 10 to 10 another turned up and I had a really testing shot at about 40 yds so it was worth hanging on for. No pics though sorry, will do better next time.

[foosa]

First one tonight.

[foosa]

Nice one Brendan and thanks for your insight into the Thermal unit. Wish I could afford one myself. Keep up the good work mate

cheers Mike, sorry to hear you been feeling a bit under the weather there, your still doing a good job on the foxes though, keep it up.

[foosa]

Good going Brendan. The NV spotter is redundant now, I suppose?

Steve, how's things pal? I'm still using the spotter, it works well when there's two of us out, one on the thermal spots them miles off and the spotter gives 100% positive id where as the thermal shows something fox shaped all glowing hot.

[tonker]

I don't believe this! following on from my post earlier today. The same Chicken farmer phoned and said he'd seen another, I asked him when because I had shot 2 last night.

He told me Today! So back I went tonight and resumed my vigil from the tower. Bearing in mind nothing had been seen for a while I was quite surprised to get another 2 tonight. I know chicken farms are like Mc Donalds to a fox but it only has two fields I can shoot, so I'm on a roll at the moment, I expect it to dry up a bit soon.

Remembered my phone tonight. one dog one vixen. Dog was shot through the bib and exited out of his stomach, and Vixen shot through the shoulder.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by tonker

[foosa]

Another two from last night, that's three in total and five in a week from an area I thought was pretty quiet on the fox front.

[WelshMike]

cheers Mike, sorry to hear you been feeling a bit under the weather there, your still doing a good job on the foxes though, keep it up.

Cheers bud, food poisoning on holiday....should stay at home

 

I don't believe this! following on from my post earlier today. The same Chicken farmer phoned and said he'd seen another, I asked him when because I had shot 2 last night.

He told me Today! So back I went tonight and resumed my vigil from the tower. Bearing in mind nothing had been seen for a while I was quite surprised to get another 2 tonight. I know chicken farms are like Mc Donalds to a fox but it only has two fields I can shoot, so I'm on a roll at the moment, I expect it to dry up a bit soon.

Remembered my phone tonight. one dog one vixen. Dog was shot through the bib and exited out of his stomach, and Vixen shot through the shoulder.

 

 

IMG_20161010_2673.jpg

Well done mate

 

Another two from last night, that's three in total and five in a week from an area I thought was pretty quiet on the fox front.

Fantastic work as usual buddy

[WelshMike]

Headed out last night as 1 of the farms has just cleared a couple of fields for the 4th cut of silage so worth a look. Spotted 1 fox but to far for a shot off the sticks and the 3 fences prevented a probe shot...followed him across a few fields and then the mist prevented a shot followed by him being skylined. Sensible and lucky fox.

 

Headed back to the farm that has put a dead ewe out. There are a couple of farms that are safe havens for the foxes next door so I suspected that the foxes were coming in from there. I had a look through the NV spotter and saw 2 in the one hedge but no shot as they were the wrong side of the fence. God knows what they were up to..it sounded like they had found a pheasant under some old tin sheeting as there was an almighty racket. To cut a long story short I watched various foxes next door for about 45 minutes until 1 headed into the correct field and straight towards the ewe. She stopped next to the ewe and dropped to a chest shot at about 140 yards. Lovely vixen so a very happy farmer. Got a pic but cant post at the moment as computer is so so slow. Given I saw another couple back out tonight as they have opened the ewe up so should be straight back over after dark (hopefully anyway).

[bornfree]

Out last night up the tower on the chicken farm, not been there lately as nothing had been seen for a while.

arrived at about 7.30 and settled down with the .222 with photon on it, and a new to me spotter.

All was quiet for a short while then at 8.10ish eyes appeared through the next farms hedge, only to vanish for 10 mins, eventually he was coming in and then decided to quarter away again, this peeved me off and I took the shot at about 150yds, 1 down.

I was going to call it a night then, but remembered the Mrs was watching Poldark, so I thought I'd hang around for a bit. At 10 to 10 another turned up and I had a really testing shot at about 40 yds so it was worth hanging on for. No pics though sorry, will do better next time.

Iam surprised they come so early. I shoot over a poultry farm and ive never shot one before 11pm in fact this year 12.05 so been the earliest. 90% are between 1 and 3am.

[tonker]

Iam surprised they come so early. I shoot over a poultry farm and ive never shot one before 11pm in fact this year 12.05 so been the earliest. 90% are between 1 and 3am.

bornfree, they always seem to come just as, or just after the farmer shuts the popholes for the night, and this is obviously just after dusk, I think they are looking for stragglers that didn't get back in time. For the amount of feathers about they're doing quite well. Of course this time of year that's a lot earlier than in the summer

[bornfree]

That explains it the chickens are shut in. The ducks and geese here are outside all night.

[foosa]

A good start to the night.

[foosa]

Number two of the night was one of this year's cubs.